If Two Was Enough
by Ta1u1a
Summary: An AU spin off of "Deja Vu All Over Again." After Rodriguez' second attack on the Charmed Ones, Tempus decides that two dead sisters is enough and doesn't reverse time.


If Two Was Enough

PROLOGUE

_It was a time loop. Things should have reset. But I'm standing here in the cemetery staring at what shouldn't be here. It's not right. Rodriguez failed, and everything should have reset. So why did the day continue? Why does time go on when it feels like I can't. My sisters are dead, and time hasn't reset. I've lost them forever._

* * *

><p>The doorbell rang in the Manor as the sisters talked about the time loop that they were caught in.<p>

"I'll get it," Phoebe said, with a look on her face saying she felt like the sheep thrown to the wolves. Prue headed upstairs, Piper went into the parlor and Phoebe headed toward the door. The doorbell rang again. "Alright already," Phoebe said.

Seconds later, the door crashed open and Rodriguez hit her with an energy bolt, sending her flying through the air into the wall and then rolling down the stairs. Piper cried out for her sister and then tried to freeze Rodriguez, but she wasn't fast enough. She was hit with an energy bolt and she went crashing through the doors to the solarium. Rodriguez turned and fired off another energy bolt at Prue, who was running down the stairs. But she deflected it back at him. He convulsed and then exploded, vanquished for good. Prue didn't waste time to make sure of that, though, as she knelt next to her baby sister, checking for a pulse.

"Oh my God, no," she said. Then she looked to where Piper had been. She jumped and ran to check on her other sister. When Prue came sliding to her knees next to Piper's limp body, she knew already that Piper was gone. The tears came quickly as she realized both her sisters were dead. Prue turned Piper over onto her back and then lifted her lifeless body into her arms, crying for the loss of her sisters.

That's how Andy found her a couple minutes later. He entered the Manor after the screams and noise quieted down. The entire street was silent and he knew that the battle must be over. Quickly, he jumped out of his car and ran across the street, up the stairs and into the Manor to see if the Halliwells were okay. The first thing he saw was Phoebe lying motionless at the bottom of the stairs. He knelt next to her and checked for a pulse. When he didn't find one he looked around for Prue and Piper. He couldn't see them in the solarium from where he was, but he thought that he heard something…crying. He headed toward the sound and found Prue sitting on the floor, rocking Piper's lifeless body in her arms and crying. Andy knelt in front of Prue and tried to look her in the eyes. It was like she didn't even notice he was there.

He looked at Piper and then down at the floor. "This should have been me," he said under his breath, remembering Phoebe's premonition that Prue had told him about. Then Andy reverted back to his inspector mode. This was a crime scene and he had to call Morris. But first he had to calm Prue down as much as possible. He slowly reached forward and started to take Piper from Prue.

"Prue," he said gently as her grip tightened on her sister. "Prue, you gotta let her go." Prue shook her head, still crying. "Prue, please." She looked up at him, her makeup running down her cheeks along with her tears. "Let her go."

Prue's grip slowly loosened and Andy slowly took Piper away and laid her gently on the floor. He looked down at her and brushed the hair out of her face. He rested a hand on her forehead, giving her a silent apology for allowing this to happen. Then he moved over to Prue and took her in his arms, rocking her back and forth.

Finally, he managed to get Prue calm enough to move over to the sofa in the parlor, and then he called Morris to report a double homicide.

* * *

><p>All her tears were gone. She had cried herself dry and all she could do now was watch blankly as the people from the coroner's office loaded first Phoebe and then Piper into black bags and took them away. She sat on the sofa and stared blankly at the floor while Andy talked to Morris.<p>

"Why do I have the feeling I won't find my suspect?" Morris asked, glancing from Andy and then into the parlor at Prue.

"I was coming over to talk to Prue," Andy said, ignoring Morris' question. "I saw Rodriguez go in, but I never saw him come out. I heard screaming so I came in to help."

"Why would Rodriguez kill them?" Morris asked.

"You don't wanna know," Andy said, looking over at Prue.

"No, Andy, I do," Morris said in an agitated, yet quiet tone. "I'm sick of all this cloak and dagger crap. It all has to do with Prue and probably her sisters. Now her sisters are dead, and if Rodriguez killed them, I wanna know why."

"Look, I made a promise to Prue," Andy said. "I can't tell you why Rodriguez would want them dead—I can't even tell you how he killed them—without betraying that promise. It's up to Prue. One thing I can tell you is that you won't find Rodriguez."

"What happened to him?" Morris asked.

"He's gone. That's all I can say," Andy replied. Morris sighed in frustration. He looked over at Prue.

"You know her better. Would it be better for me to take her statement now or later?"

"You might as well do it now before she gets too closed off," Andy said solemnly. He knew how Prue worked. She shut out the bad and hid from pain. Things were going to be extremely difficult for her. He knew it. But he knew that he would do his best to help her through it. He and Morris walked over to Prue. Andy sat on the sofa next to her while Morris sat on the coffee table in front of her, pulling out his notepad. He cleared his throat and Prue looked up.

"It's up to you. I can take your statement now, or we can wait. Whatever would be easier for you," he said in a sympathetic tone.

Prue looked at Andy and then at her hands. "I'll just do it now," she said with a shaky voice.

"All right, so tell me in your own words what happened," Darryl said.

Prue hesitated, preparing to deliver the story she had been making up since the police had arrived. "I was in the attic…looking for some photo albums. Someone was at the door and Phoebe said she'd get it. Then I heard a crash and screams and then breaking glass. I heard…Piper yell Phoebe's name and then I heard her scream…and more breaking glass. I ran as fast as I could…but when I got down here he was gone and…" Prue stopped and held back the tears she thought she didn't have. Andy wrapped his arm around Prue's shoulders and looked at Morris.

"Take your time, Prue," Morris said.

Prue ran her hands through her hair and then continued on. "I found Phoebe…at the bottom of the stairs. She wasn't…she wasn't breathing and she didn't have a pulse. And then Piper in the solarium. She was…they were gone." Prue lowered her head and clamped her eyes shut.

"Did you see who did this to them?" Morris asked.

Prue shook her head. "No, I don't know."

"Why didn't you call the paramedics right away, to see if maybe they could help your sisters?"

"I guess I was in shock," Prue said. "I don't know."

"Andy said an internal affairs inspector named Rodriguez entered your house before he heard a commotion, too," Morris said, looking at Andy while he asked the question. "Do you think maybe that he was the one that did this to your sisters?"

"I don't know," Prue replied. "I don't know why he would want them dead."

Morris nodded his head and then put his notepad in his pocket. "If you think of anything else that might be important, Prue, give me a call. You know the number. I think we're almost done here."

Prue nodded her head and wiped at her tears. Morris walked away and Andy tightened his embrace around Prue.

"Prue, maybe you should tell him what Rodriguez…" Andy began.

Prue immediately shook her head. "No. It won't matter. Because we're in a time loop, like I told you. The day will reset."

"Are you sure about that?" Andy asked.

"I have to be," she said. She watched as the forensics team packed up their things and got ready to leave the Manor. For her sisters' sake, the day had to reset.

* * *

><p>Prue busied herself by cleaning up the broken glass from the broken picture frames and the door that Phoebe and Piper crashed into. That didn't take her long, and she wasn't sure what to do with herself for the rest of the night. She was just waiting for midnight, waiting for time to reset and for Phoebe to figure out the time loop just a little bit faster than she did this time so they could protect Andy and protect themselves from the horrible fate of death. Prue paced in the parlor thinking only about her sisters and how time had to reset. She stopped for a moment and picked up the small framed photograph of the three sisters. It was the last picture that Grams took of the three of them. Prue hadn't really looked at it very closely for a while, but if her memory served her correctly the three of them hadn't been standing that close together when Grams took the picture.<p>

Prue shrugged the thought off and stared at Piper and Phoebe's smiling faces, and her eyes lingered on Phoebe. 'We were just starting to learn to live together without wanting to claw each other's eyes out,' Prue thought. She felt the tears stinging her eyes again and she set the picture back in its spot. She wiped the tears away and went into the kitchen. She put water in the kettle for tea and glanced at the clock. It was 11:30 p.m. Prue had made Andy go home about three hours before, insisting that she would be okay alone. 'Only a half hour,' she thought. 'A half hour and we've got another chance. I've got another chance to save them and save Andy.'

She poured the water into her cup and stirred it absently as she looked around the kitchen, Piper's domain. Everything was in its place, and if it wasn't Piper would set it right. The kitchen was Piper's castle. The Culinary Queen. Prue read that title off of a specially made apron she had bought for Piper after she got the job at Quake. There was no ingredient Piper couldn't turn into a masterpiece.

Again, Prue's eyes began to tear up and she shook her head in frustration. Time had to reset. 'There's no way I can live here without them if it doesn't,' she thought. 'But I can't sell the Manor. It's too important to our family line.' Prue scoffed at herself as she left the kitchen with her tea.

"What family line?" she asked the empty house. "It's not like I'm going to have a family. It's going to end when I die."

She sat down on the sofa and watched the clock. It wouldn't be much longer until Prue wouldn't have to worry about these things anymore. She would see her sisters again. She was sure of it.

* * *

><p>Tempus had watched Rodriguez fail and contemplated whether or not he should reset the day. Two of the Charmed Ones were dead. Why waste his time on the third when the next demon that came along would be very likely to kill her? The Power of Three was broken. Surely that was enough. Tempus thought about it and made his decision. He looked at his pocket watch and then disappeared in flames. Two was enough.<p>

* * *

><p>Prue listened to the grandfather clock strike midnight and waited. Nothing happened. She watched the clock change from 12 to 12:01. Nothing happened. The day did not reset.<p>

"No," she said quietly as she watched the second hand on the clock. "No. It was supposed to reset. It has to reset." Her voice was growing louder and anger rose in her. She looked up to the ceiling. "No! Bring my sisters back! We're supposed to get another chance!" She threw her cup into the wall and then collapsed on the couch, sobbing uncontrollably. Pitifully the words escaped her lips, "I love them. I need them."

* * *

><p>After the joint funerals of her sisters, Prue sat in the kitchen staring at the enormous bills. Piper had benefits from Quake that covered some of her funeral costs, but Phoebe didn't have anything. She couldn't afford anything. Prue couldn't afford the funeral costs. Even if she sold Piper's Jeep and a lot of her sisters' belongings there would still be expenses. Prue stared at the figures and tried to think of a way to pay for all of it. She knew it would be hard on her, but she had to take out another mortgage on the house. She had thought about renting out her sisters' rooms, but with all the witchcraft stuff, Prue knew it truly wasn't an option. She was alone.<p>

A week passed and all the demons Prue had expected to come along hadn't come. Things were fairly tame in that department. She was starting to get back to her life, working a lot at Buckland's and not doing much else. The strange thing was that Andy was hanging around a lot more.

He had been exonerated of the murder of Rodriguez's partner, and they were now searching for Rodriguez in connection with the murder of his partner and Prue's sisters. Andy knew they wouldn't find him, but he had to keep up the façade. He was trying to spend more time around Prue, knowing that the few weeks and even months after her sisters' deaths would be hardest for her. He knew she needed someone to be there for her. And he cared about her. He loved her in fact. The future for Andy had always held dreams of the wife, two kids, dog and white picket fence. But now he was starting think that whether he was with Prue or not, he wouldn't see that future. He was starting to think that he and Prue were meant to be together. They could still have the two kids and Prue had a cat. It just wouldn't quite be the white picket fence marriage that he had dreamed of when he was younger. He was in love with Prue. She meant more to him than anything, even his job. He wasn't going to let her go again.

Prue came home from work on Friday to find Andy waiting on her porch with pizza, a six-pack of beer and something that appeared to be a rental movie. She smiled and shook her head.

"Well, Inspector, what's this about?" Prue asked as she found her house key on her key ring. She unlocked the front door and Andy followed her in with the dinner and movie that he brought over.

"It's my night off. I didn't have anything to do…"

"So, you thought you'd come over here," Prue finished his sentence. She set her purse on the table next to the door and removed her coat.

"Yeah," he replied with a playful smile.

Prue smiled coyly. "I guess I wouldn't mind the company," she said. "Why don't you go get things set up while I change?"

Andy nodded his head and went to get the movie ready while Prue headed up to her room. He sat on the sofa and opened a beer, all the time thinking how good this felt.

* * *

><p>The credits of the movie were rolling up the screen, and Prue sat up, stretching. She sat back on the couch and smiled at Andy.<p>

"Thanks for coming over Andy," she said. "This was really nice."

"Yeah, it was," he said, returning the smile. Then he looked concerned. "So, how are things with you? I haven't been over in a couple days."

Prue looked down. "I guess it's getting a little better. But sometimes it's just so hard." She started tracing the flowers on the couch with her finger. "Little things will set me off. Like I'll pass someone in the office who's wearing the same perfume that Piper wore. Or I'll find Phoebe's make up in the bathroom cabinet. Last night I found an old note in my purse from Piper and I cried for two hours." She smiled sheepishly. "That probably sounds silly to you."

Andy shook his head and scooted closer to Prue on the couch. "No, it doesn't," he said. He reached forward and lifted Prue's chin so he could look her in the eyes. "I understand that this is hard for you. It's not silly that you miss them or that it hurts to be reminded of them. It's natural."

Prue just stared at him for a moment. Then she looked down again. "Sometimes I wish that Rodriguez had killed me, too."

Andy wasn't totally surprised by that statement, but it also worried him a little. Traumatic experiences like losing several family members at the same time were often causes of suicides, especially when the surviving family member was the only one left. He didn't want to believe that Prue would actually take her own life, but he didn't dismiss the idea that she could just not fight back when the next demon attacked. He wasn't going to let that happen.

Prue looked up after a long silence to see if she could read Andy's expression and figure out what he was thinking. He looked worried. "Well, that stopped you cold," she said with a smirk. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

He smiled. "Just wondering what's going on in yours."

"You don't want to know. It's scary in here," she joked, but some small part deep down inside her was serious. It had been scary for a while. There were nights when she was so depressed and distraught over the loss of her sisters that she wondered if it would really be that bad to just let the next demon take her. She would just think of how much she wanted to see them again, to talk to them and see their beautiful smiles again. Two nights before she had made it as far as the knife rack in the kitchen when she realized what she was really doing. She couldn't take that path. Even if she did end it all herself, she probably wouldn't end up with her sisters. Suicides went a different way, she believed. It had been drilled into her head when she was younger. As she grew older it kept being drilled in her head, not just as a sin but as a disgraceful way to die. She couldn't do it that way. She would disappoint her mother, her Grams, her sisters…Andy.

She looked him in the eyes and their gaze just locked for a moment. Her blue with his hazel. All there was at that moment was them, gazing into each other's souls. And then his hand rested on the back of her neck, gently pulling her forward until their lips met. And then their gaze broke as their eyes closed and they both just melted into the warmth of the kiss and the familiar feelings it filled their bodies with. They remained together, joined at the lips, not stopping for a breath, not stopping for anything. Just living in this moment, not ever wanting it to end.

Finally, they parted and their eyes opened slowly, returning to that intense gaze they had shared before the kiss began. Then Andy smiled in embarrassment, realizing what had just happened between them.

"Sorry," he said with sheepish chuckle.

Prue smiled. "Don't be," she said. They sat in an awkward silence for a moment and then Andy stood.

"Well, I guess I better head home," he said. "Gotta work tomorrow."

"Yeah," Prue said as they walked to the door. They stood there for a moment. "Andy, thanks for coming over. It really helps to have you here."

"No problem. Whenever you need someone to talk to, or if you just need someone to be in the room with you," he said. "Call me anytime."

Prue nodded her head and Andy leaned forward, embracing her in a tight hug. "Goodnight, Andy."

She opened the door and he stepped out. He turned back before he left the porch. "I really mean that, Prue. Anytime. I don't care if it's three in the morning."

"I know," she said with a knowing smile. "Thank you."

"Goodnight," he said. Then he turned and headed down the porch steps. Prue shut the door and locked it, thinking about that kiss. Something was happening between her and Andy, and she was starting to like it.

* * *

><p>He burst through the door and she flew through the air, hitting the wall and tumbling down the stairs. Seconds later, he hit Piper and she flew across the parlor and through the solarium door. Prue rushed down the stairs and vanquished him, and like slow motion it was all playing over again. First Phoebe, then Piper. It flashed over and over in her mind, the final moments of her sisters' lives. Their screams of pain as the energy surged through their bodies resounded in her ears, and no matter how quickly she tried to vanquish him, it was never fast enough. Over and over they died, and over and over she cried. But then her scenery changed and she was standing in the cemetery at their graves. But the epitaphs read differently than what she had had engraved on them. Instead of each one reading 'Beloved Sister And Friend' each one read 'Failed in life. Failed in death.' Prue looked at them confused.<p>

"Failed?" she wondered. "How?"

"Failed by you," a voice said. Prue turned and there stood Piper and Phoebe.

"Piper? Phoebe? How?"

"Why didn't you save us, Prue?" Phoebe asked. "How come we're dead? You were supposed to save us, Prue."

"I tried. I tried so hard. But I couldn't…"

"You failed us," Piper said. An energy ball formed in her hand and she flung it at Prue. It hit Prue in the chest and she flew into the air.

She sat bolt upright, dripping with perspiration and gasping for breath. Tears streamed down her face as her guilt ate at her heart. She stumbled out of her bed and went where she always went after she had these dreams. To Piper's room first and then to Phoebe's room. She would stare at their things and then end up collapsing in tears on Phoebe's bed. She would cry out of guilt and sadness and pain. All the emotions flooding her senses.

But this night when she got to Phoebe's room, on the verge of a mental breakdown, she remembered what Andy had said before he left.

"Anytime. I don't care if it's three in the morning."

Prue picked up the phone and stared at the numbers, wondering if she should really call him. Finally she started punching the numbers and then she listened to the ring on the other end.

"Hello," he answered sleepily.

"Andy," she said, her voice shaky from crying.

"Yeah," he said. Then he realized whose voice he was hearing. "Prue?"

"Yeah," she replied quietly.

"Do you want me to come over?" he asked, knowing immediately that something was wrong.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Okay, I'll be right over," he said. They hung up, and Prue sat on the staircase. She leaned her head on her knees and sobbed.

* * *

><p>She opened the door for him and the first thing he noticed was her tear stained face. He closed the door and then wrapped his arms around her. Then he led her to the sofa in the parlor.<p>

"I'm sorry to call you so late," she said, her voice strained.

"No, I said you could, and I meant it," he said. He embraced her again and she leaned heavily against him as she cried. He didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what to say or if he even needed to say anything. He just held her and let her cry until she was ready to talk. It was at least five minutes before she said anything.

"I, uh, had this nightmare," she said, sniffing back her remaining tears. She sat back Indian style, sideways on the sofa facing Andy. He nodded his head, urging her to go on. "I kept seeing them die over and over again. Every time I tried to move faster to protect them, but I never could. And then I was in the cemetery and…"

She paused, trying to keep the tears from breaking through again. Andy waited patiently. "What happened in the cemetery Prue?"

"I failed them," she said quietly. Andy shook his head.

"No, you didn't," he responded. "There was nothing else you could have done."

"But that's just it," she said in an agitated tone. "I've always protected them. I've always felt responsible for them. It's what I've always done and felt. I did fail them, and I failed myself."

"Prue, no," Andy said sternly. He took her hands in his. "I don't believe that, and you shouldn't either. If you could talk to Piper and Phoebe right now, I'm sure they'd tell you the same thing. This wasn't your fault, Prue. You couldn't stop it."

Prue shook her head as she shed more tears. "I just don't know what to do anymore. I miss them so much."

"I know, but you'll get through this," Andy said as he pulled her close. "You'll get through it because you're strong and willful and because Piper and Phoebe would want you to move on with your life. It's hard now, but you'll keep taking one day at a time, and things will get better."

Prue just cried as he held her. Her tears were starting to let up, and she was starting to get sleepy. He held her and gently rubbed her back. She closed her eyes and thanked the heavens that she had Andy to be there for her.

* * *

><p>She woke up in her own bed with the sun streaming in on her. She looked over and saw Andy sleeping uncomfortably on the love seat near her bed. He had a small, barely useful throw blanket covering his upper body and his head was resting in an awkward manner on the arm of the small sofa. She smiled, not even remembering him bringing her up here. She quietly crept out of the room and headed downstairs to the kitchen.<p>

The smell of frying bacon and brewing coffee pulled Andy from his uncomfortable slumber. He opened his eyes to see that Prue had risen at some point, and he could smell that she was cooking breakfast. He looked in the mirror and ran his hands through his hair to make sure he didn't have "bed head" and then he went down to see what Prue was up to.

The kitchen smelled wonderful and his stomach growled in anticipation for the breakfast she was cooking. She looked and smiled when he entered the room.

"Good morning," she said with a small smile. "I'd ask if you slept well, but I can't imagine that you did considering where you slept."

"Yeah, I probably would have been better off on the floor," he joked as he rubbed his neck. He gestured to the stove where Prue had various things cooking in different pans. "Smells great."

She smiled. "Yeah, well I'm no Piper, but I do know the basics. Breakfast is probably my easiest meal to prepare. Coffee?"

"I'll get it," he said. He grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee, eager to get some of the hot liquid in him. It had been a long night and he needed something to get him going. He looked at the clock and saw that he had to be at work in an hour. He knew he should get home so he could get ready, but he didn't want to deny Prue's breakfast.

"What time do you have to be at work?" Prue asked, as if she were reading his mind. She removed the bacon that was done from the pan and added several raw strips to be fried. The toast popped up and she put it on two plates with the bacon. Then she scraped the eggs onto the plates in even proportions. Andy just watched with amusement as she did all this.

"Um, in an hour," he said.

"Oh, then I guess you should hurry up and eat," she said, handing him a plate.

"It's all right, I'll call Morris and let him know I'm gonna be late," he replied as he took the plate and sat at the breakfast table. "It's no big deal."

"Andy, I really want to thank you for what you did last night," Prue said seriously. "You have no idea how much that helped me."

"I figured this breakfast was my thank you," he said with a smile. He took a bite of bacon.

"Well, partly, but it's not enough," Prue said. "Nothing is enough thanks for how much you've supported me and been here for me since my sisters died. It means so much."

"I care about you, Prue. It hurts me to see you hurting," he replied. They sat in silence for a moment and then they continued eating their breakfast. After a while, Andy finished and stood to leave. "Well, I really do have to go now, or Morris is going to be on my case."

"Okay," Prue said. She felt a twinge of disappointment that Andy had to go. She just wanted him to stay with her all day and they could just lie in each other's arms. Her old feelings for him were resurfacing.

"Do you wanna grab lunch today?" he asked. Prue smiled and nodded her head. "Okay, let's meet at your office and we'll decide where to go from there."

"Okay," she replied. Andy leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

"See ya then," he said as he left the kitchen.

"Bye," Prue replied. She watched him go and then finished her breakfast. As she cleaned up and prepared to get ready for work, all she could think about was Andy. She couldn't get him off her mind, and she was sure that she was falling head over heels in love with him.

* * *

><p>"So, what are you going to do about your house?" Andy asked. "I mean, it's a big place for you to live alone in. And it's been three months since…well, you know."<p>

Prue examined the apples in the produce section and then looked at Andy seriously. "Well, I can't sell it. It's too important, and I'm not talking just sentimentally. Strategically it's an epicenter of supernatural power. I can't abandon it or evil might get it and then we would have major trouble."

"Okay, but still…" Andy began, but Prue interrupted him.

"Would you want to move in with me?" Prue asked out of the blue. Andy was shocked and he stopped walking. Prue waited for a response and then sighed. "It's too soon. I should have waited to ask you."

"No, it's not that," he said. "I'm just surprised is all. I wasn't expecting this."

"I wasn't sure when I should bring it up," Prue said. "I've just been thinking about it and it would just feel so right. And you practically live there already."

"But saying it is an actual commitment," Andy said.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. No, it's just something we need to think about," he replied. "I mean, four months ago we both thought that things were over between as and now we're practically living together, thinking of making it official…"

"And you wanna make sure that this just isn't a fluke. My grief drove me to it. That kind of thing," Prue said in a questioning tone. She turned and started bagging some apples.

"Well, sort of," Andy said.

"We stopped seeing each other before because I'm a witch, not because we stopped loving each other," Prue said. Then she looked Andy in the eyes. "At least, I didn't stop loving you."

"Neither did I…well, loving you that is," he said. "It's just a big step. That's all I'm saying."

"Okay, so how about you think about it, and you can get back to me on that," Prue suggested. She placed the bag of apples in her cart and she and Andy started to head down a different aisle.

"Okay," he said. Then he smiled. "You're going to give me more time with this than you did with the truth spell, right?"

Prue glared at him and smacked him on the arm. "How many times do I have to apologize for that?"

"A million will do," Andy replied with a laugh. The subject of him moving into the Manor was put on the back burner and they continued to shop for groceries.

* * *

><p>"Where should I store these boxes?" Andy asked as he unpacked the last of his things.<p>

"In the basement!" Prue yelled from down the hall. She was in Piper's room packing away things finally.

For three months Prue had been unable to even think about cleaning out her sisters' rooms. The thought of going through their stuff and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of just hurt too much. But she knew that it had to be done. She had finished putting Piper's clothes in boxes to take to the Salvation Army and she was now cleaning out the desk. She found files with various records such as bank statements and pay stubs and she set them aside to go through later. Small items that Prue figured were sentimental to Piper alone were set aside in a small box. Prue didn't see any sense in keeping any of the things. She smiled when she found a shoebox filled with birthday and Christmas cards. Prue looked at some of them and guessed that the box contained probably every birthday and Christmas card that Piper had ever received. 'She was such a pack rat,' Prue thought. She giggled. Piper would have just said that she was sentimental.

Prue set the box aside and opened the middle drawer. There were some photo albums and other loose pictures that she decided she would look through later to see if she wanted any of the pictures. But as she pulled the albums and pictures out of the drawer she noticed two sealed envelopes. She pulled them out and gasped when she realized what they were. Carefully written on the front of each envelope was either Prue or Phoebe's name. Prue set Phoebe's envelope aside and hesitated before opening her own. She pulled out the folded letter and stared at the salutation, not wanting to read any further for fear that reading it might open old wounds. Finally her eyes drifted along the page and took in the words, neatly scripted between the blue lines.

_Dear Prue,_

_I can't believe I'm writing this, but after what happened last night it just feels like I need to. This whole wendigo situation came too close. It scared me more than I've ever been scared before, and I just have to put some things down on paper before it's too late. All three of us have come inches away from death since we became witches and I just know that some day, possibly soon, we aren't all going to make it through a battle. So, I have to do this, no matter how paranoid it may seem._

_I just want you to know that I love you, Prue. And I know that you love me, too. Even if you really don't say it that often. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me my whole life. Thank you for being so responsible and for protecting us. Whatever happened to me, I'm sure there was no way you could prevent it. You've been a wonderful friend and sister. Hopefully Phoebe made it through whatever battle it was that I lost, and I just want to do one last thing as the middle sister. Don't be too harsh on her. She really is trying to get things together with her life. She may stumble along the way, but instead of yelling at her for messing up, support her and help her. I want you guys to take care of each other and be good to each other. I won't be able to rest easily if I know you guys are fighting. I'll come back and haunt you. (ha ha)_

_Take care Prue and I hope that you live a long and happy life. Follow your dreams and be good to yourself. And be good to Phoebe. I'll be watching._

_Love always,_

_Piper_

Prue stared at the page and wiped at her tears. She couldn't believe Piper had written a goodbye note just in case she was killed. But at the same time, Prue understood it. Piper was always one to consider all the possibilities, especially the bad possibilities. She was the pessimist out of the three of them. It made sense. Prue cried some more, wishing for the first time in a while that her sisters were there with her.

She noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye and looked toward the door. Andy was standing there, watching her.

"What's that?" he asked, gesturing toward the letter.

Prue wiped her tears away and sniffed. "Piper wrote a goodbye note," she explained. "After the whole wendigo thing. I guess it really freaked her out. I guess I can't blame her."

"You okay?" he asked as he approached her. Prue nodded her head.

"Yeah, I just…I knew that doing this would be tough and everything, but I didn't expect to find this," she replied. She looked at her watch. "I think it's time for a lunch break."

Andy sighed and nodded his head in agreement. He recognized Prue's typical tactic of changing the subject. "What are you in the mood for?"

"I'm kind of in the mood to go out," she replied.

"All right. I'll go get my jacket," he said. He kissed her on the cheek and left the room.

Prue ran her finger along her name on the envelope and just stared at it for a moment. Then she set it on top of the photo albums and went to join Andy.

* * *

><p>Her first reaction when he appeared in the attic was to take on the defensive, then surprise, then anger.<p>

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked in almost a growl.

"I need to talk to you," he replied. "It's about Piper and Phoebe."

"Well, if you're here to tell me they're dead, I already got that newsletter," Prue said sarcastically. "I figured you missed it since I haven't seen or heard from you for six months, ever since Piper saved your life. I would think you would be the kind to return favors."

"I understand you're angry, Prue," he began. She wouldn't let him finish.

"No, I don't think you do, Leo," Prue said, walking towards him. "Where the hell have you been? You know, I really wasn't sure if you cared about me or Phoebe, but I knew you loved Piper. So where were you? You have the power to heal. Why didn't you use it on the woman you love? Why'd you let her die?"

"I didn't let her die," he said, slightly irritated by Prue's tone. "She died instantly. There was nothing I could have done. I can't heal the dead."

"Well, you could have at least made an appearance, maybe come to the funeral. Instead of being a coward. Something, Leo," Prue said. "Where have you been?"

"I have other charges," he explained. "And you're right. I am a coward. I was afraid to face you because I was afraid of what we're doing right now. Arguing and placing blame. Feeling guilty for ourselves when we weren't the ones that killed Piper and Phoebe. And that's why I'm here. Because they're not supposed to be dead."

"What are you talking about?" Prue asked, now confused.

"Rodriguez wasn't supposed to kill Piper and Phoebe that day," Leo explained. "Tempus was supposed to reset the day again, and they were supposed to live."

"How do you know all of this?" Prue asked skeptically.

"We just received the information from insiders on the other side. Spies, I guess you could call them," Leo said. "Piper and Phoebe weren't supposed to die. Someone else was."

"Who?" she asked.

"Andy," Leo replied solemnly. She just shook her head in denial. She couldn't have heard him right. "Phoebe's premonition was only a warning that a demon would attack. You weren't supposed to save him. He was supposed to distract Rodriguez enough so that Piper had time to freeze him. You have to find a way to contact Tempus and convince him to reset time to the day your sisters died."

"How can you tell me all this? I mean, you're basically saying that I have to kill Andy," Prue said. "How do you expect me to make that choice?"

"It's not your choice to make," Andy said from the attic doorway. Prue and Leo looked over. "I heard you talking to someone and got curious."

"What do you mean it's not my choice to make?" Prue asked, approaching Andy. "I'm the one that has to get Tempus to reset time."

"But I'm the one that has to die," Andy said. "It's my choice."

"But if I don't want to do it, you can't make me," Prue said defiantly.

"Prue, listen to me," Andy said. He rested his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Somehow I always knew that my life wouldn't end up the way I had planned it. I love you. And I love you too much to allow you to go on fighting evil without your sisters. Because I don't care how strong you are. Some day something is going to catch you off guard and it's going to kill you. You need your sisters. More than you need me." Prue just looked down at the floor. Andy turned to Leo. "If she gets this Tempus to reset time, will either of us remember the time we've spent together since her sisters died?"

"No," Leo said, shaking his head. "It'll be like before, with Phoebe catching on to the time loop just a little bit faster than the last time. None of you will remember all the specifics of any of this."

"I don't want to lose you," Prue said quietly.

"You won't," Andy responded. "I'll always be with you." He then pointed to her heart. She smiled a little and then turned to Leo.

"You wouldn't happen to know how I can contact Tempus."

* * *

><p>"Why have you called me here?" Tempus asked angrily, not knowing why he was in the attic.<p>

"I have a proposal for you," Prue said, standing confidently before him. "And I think you'll accept it."

"Quite confident considering I killed your sisters," Tempus said.

"Wrong. You didn't kill my sisters. Rodriguez did. If you were truly capable of killing I'd be long dead," she said. "So, do you want to hear my proposal or not?"

Tempus fumed for a moment, angered by Prue's impudence. "Very well. What is it?"

"I propose you reverse time back to the day that my sisters died, and Rodriguez will have another crack at all three of us," Prue said.

"And what is in this for you?" he asked.

"There is the possibility that my sisters and I will vanquish Rodriguez before he hurts anyone," Prue said. "Sure our odds aren't quite as good as Rodriguez's, but they're good enough for me to take this chance."

"You have something up your sleeve," Tempus said suspiciously.

"Maybe, but you know as well as I do that I probably won't remember whatever plan I have in mind right now," Prue said. "Again, the odds are in your favor."

"Why would you take this risk?"

"I want my sisters back," Prue said honestly. "I would risk worse odds for the slightest chance of getting them back."

"Humans are so sentimental. It's a weakness," Tempus said. He thought over the idea for a moment. He knew there was more to this than what Prue had told him, but she was right. The odds were in his favor. "Very well. I accept your proposal. At midnight, time will reset to that day." With that Tempus disappeared in a ball of flames.

"How much time do we have?" Andy asked when he saw Prue descending the stairs. He hadn't even been sure if he would see her again when she went up to the attic to call Tempus. He had thought that either Tempus would kill her or time would reverse immediately. He had thought wrong.

"Till midnight," she replied quietly. She got to the bottom of the stairs and they stood facing each other, just staring into each other's eyes. But then the blue started to falter and she looked away. She sat on the stairs. "I can't handle this. I can't believe there's no way for me to remember all of this, to save you."

"Fate has its way," Andy replied as he sat on the stairs next to her. "There must be some reason that I have to go this way. Some purpose."

"I know, and I keep telling myself that," she said. She looked at him and he saw her tear-filled eyes. "But it still hurts, the thought that I'm going to go back to that day and have to miss out on everything we've had together for the past few months. I want my sisters back, but how is it fair that I have to lose you to save them?"

"Life isn't fair, Prue," Andy said. "I know it sounds cynical, but it's true." Prue just sat quietly. "Do you remember in high school when we spent hours playing that 'what if' game? You know, stuff like 'what if you were stuck on a desert island.'"

"Yeah," Prue said, not quite sure where Andy was going with this.

"Do you remember what my answer was to the one, if you were told you had less than 24 hours to live what would you do?"

Prue thought for a moment and then smiled. "You said that you would take me to the beach and we would watch the sunset and then just lay there under the stars until it was time for you to go."

"Well, I think that situation has presented itself," Andy said. He stood and took her hand, pulling her up from the stairs. "Half hour till sunset."

Prue smiled. "I'll get a blanket."

* * *

><p>The sun had set and the two of them laid in each other's arms under the stars, listening to the surf crash against the beach. They were taking turns pointing out constellations.<p>

"There's Orion," Prue said, pointing up into the sky.

"I thought he didn't come out this time of year," Andy said. But he didn't get a response. Prue was distracted by the glowing face of her watch, and he realized that time was running out. "How much longer?"

"Five minutes," Prue said quietly. Just then they both saw a shooting star.

"Make a wish," Andy said. Prue did. She wished with all her heart and soul that she could remember all of this so that she could save Andy from Rodriguez. She didn't want to lose him. Andy wished that Prue could live a long and happy life, even if he couldn't be there to live it with her.

The second hand on her watch ticked on and the minute hand neared the twelve. Slowly the minutes passed and Prue clung to Andy tight.

"I love you, Prue," he said.

"I love you, Andy," she responded, knowing that it would be the last time she would say that to him.

The minute hand reached twelve and the world froze for a split second right before time reversed to the day of Rodriguez's attack.

* * *

><p>Prue and Phoebe stood by the front window as Phoebe counted down the little fender-bender that she knew had happened before. Prue had no idea how Phoebe had known about that.<p>

"Premonition. I'm supposed to be having a premonition right about now," Phoebe said. Prue was clueless.

"Supposed to? What do you mean?"

"The paper. Look at the front page," Phoebe instructed.

Prue did so and saw a picture of Andy under the headline "Inspector Suspected in I.A. Murder."

"Andy," she said. Something was nagging at her memory, but she wasn't quite sure what.

"Is in trouble," Phoebe said. "More than you know, Prue. If I touch that paper, I'll have a premonition. The same one that I've had before, where Andy gets killed here, by a demon."

* * *

><p>"Andy, please just let us handle this," Prue pleaded with him as they sat on the swing in the park. "Whatever you do you have to promise that you'll stay away from the Manor."<p>

"I can't promise you that, Prue," Andy said, his eyes filled with worry. "If you're right and Rodriguez is the demon, then it's a trap."

"Yeah, then I'll have Piper and Phoebe there to back me up, alright. The Power of Three."

"What if that's exactly what he wants, all three of you together? What if that's the reason he set the time loop?"

"We'll just have to take our chances," Prue said with confidence.

"You could get killed, Prue," he said, staring her down.

"I mean it. This is not your fight. Don't make me use my magic on you," she said sharply with a slight smirk. Then she grew serious. "Andy, I would die if I lost you. I love you."

"I love you too, Prue," he said. He pulled her into an embrace knowing that he would break a promise to her. Prue didn't want to let go of Andy. She had a feeling that something wasn't right about all of this. She knew there was something that she was supposed to remember, but she couldn't figure it out. She pulled away from Andy and walked away, not knowing that it would be the last time she saw him alive.

* * *

><p>"Does it say how to vanquish him?" Piper asked after Phoebe found the page about Tempus.<p>

"Uh, take him out of the time that he's in. Whatever that means."

Suddenly, Rodriguez burst through the door. He shot an energy bolt at Prue, but Piper pushed her out of the way. Moments later Andy came through the door.

"No!" he yelled as he fired shots at Rodriguez, but he wasn't phased and he threw an energy bolt at Andy sending him flying across the living room into a cabinet. Piper stood and froze Rodriguez before he could get another shot off. Then she and Phoebe went to check on Andy, only to find that he was dead.

* * *

><p>Prue and Andy were sitting in a misty place on a swing much like the one in the park. He was telling her that it was time for him to go.<p>

"This isn't fair," Prue said sadly.

"You need to go back. You need to keep the time loop from resetting again or you and your sisters will be killed. And I will have died in vain."

"I'll kill Rodriguez for this."

"No, you won't. You're not a murderer, Prue. You're a good person who does good things."

"I don't wanna lose you," she said.

"Don't worry. You won't," he said. He kissed her gently and then pulled away. "I'll always be there for you." Then he disappeared.

* * *

><p>A month later, Prue started to remember some things about the time she had spent with Andy before the time loop reset for the last time. At first it came to her in dreams and she didn't believe that it was real, but then she started remembering things while she was awake. She relieved some of her guilty burden when she vanquished Abraxas with her sisters, but the memories kept coming. Finally she knew she had to tell them about it. She found Piper in the kitchen going over some forms for the club that she was going to open.<p>

"Piper, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked timidly. Piper looked up from her work and saw the look on Prue's face. She knew that look well and smiled.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Well, it's just…it has to do with Andy and the whole time loop thing," Prue began. Piper simply nodded her head and waited patiently for more info. "I have these memories, they're really vivid actually, and I think they might be from one of the time loops."

"What are they about?"

"Well, I remember Rodriguez killing you and Phoebe, and I managed to vanquish him," Prue said. "And I thought that time would reset again, but it didn't. And I started getting really close with Andy again, and he moved into the Manor and it seems like we were on the road to getting married. And then it just stops."

"But why would Tempus wait so long to reset time?" Piper asked, trying to sense where Prue was going with this.

"I don't know. That's what I don't understand," Prue said. "Why wait so long? If these really are memories from one of the time loops, I want to know what it all means. I just thought I'd get your opinion on it."

"Well," Piper said. "I don't know. It could just be you missing Andy still. It's not that hard to believe. But if they really are memories from another time loop then more will probably come and it will all be explained in time."

Prue sighed and thought about that. Then she smiled and stood. "Probably. Thanks, Piper."

"Anytime," Piper replied. She watched Prue leave the kitchen and then she returned to her paperwork.

* * *

><p>Prue tossed and turned in her sleep. Her dream was revealing everything. It played in her mind like a movie, scene by scene. Her sisters dying, then getting close to Andy, him moving in, Leo coming along and saying Andy was supposed to die, their last night together. Prue sat up in bed, not believing everything she had just seen in her dream. She shook her head, anger surging up inside of her. She stood and tried to think of where she could get some answers. She knew the only way she could was to contact Leo. She wasn't even sure how. He just seemed to show up.<p>

"Leo," she said. Her voice gradually grew louder with her calls. "Leo. Leo! Leo!"

Piper and Phoebe emerged from their rooms at the same time and met by Prue's door. They gave each other confused looks and then Phoebe opened the door. They found Prue standing in the middle of her room calling for Leo.

"Prue," Piper said. "Prue, what are you doing? I thought I was the one that was supposed to be calling Leo's name out in the middle of the night."

"I need to talk to him. I need answers," Prue said. "Leo!"

"Answers to what?" Phoebe asked. Moments later, Leo orbed into Prue's room.

"Prue, what? What's going on?" he asked, exasperated by Prue's urgent calls.

"Why, Leo? Explain to me why he had to die." she asked.

Phoebe and Piper both realized then what this was about. Piper placed her hand on Prue's shoulder. "Prue…"

"No, Piper, you don't understand," Prue said, pulling her arm away. "I remember it all now. All the stuff that happened in that previous time loop. The time loop reversed because I made a deal with Tempus. Otherwise, Andy would have gone on living."

"But you wouldn't have had your sisters," Leo said, knowing exactly what Prue was talking about.

"So, you do know," Prue said accusingly.

"The time loop didn't affect us up there," Leo said. "We saw it all."

"Wait, you knew what was going on and you didn't help us?" Phoebe asked, now joining Prue in her anger. "We could have saved Andy."

"Like I told Prue during the other time loop, Andy was fated to die," Leo explained. "There was nothing anyone could have done to stop it. Even if I had warned you, Andy still would have come through that door and he still would have been killed. It was his destiny."

"I want to know why," Prue said. "I think I deserve to know."

"I couldn't tell you why," Leo replied. "My bosses don't even know why things are fated to happen. But they are, and I've been around long enough to know that you can't cheat fate." Prue looked down at the floor. "Look, I'm sorry Prue. I wish you could have saved Andy, too. I wish you weren't feeling all this guilt and pain. It hurts me to see one of my charges…a friend hurting like this. The only advice I can give you is to live your life like you think Andy would want you to. Don't mourn him. Celebrate him by helping other people."

He waited for some kind of response, and finally Prue nodded her head. Leo made eye contact with Piper and she thanked him silently. He smiled and nodded his head. "I have to go," he said finally. "Take care. I'll be back when I can." Moments later he orbed out. Prue sat on her bed.

"Prue, are you okay?" Piper asked.

"I don't know," she said. "It's all there in my mind. All the conflicting memories. God, it just hurts so much, knowing what I could have had with Andy."

Piper and Phoebe sat on either side of Prue on the bed. "If they feel like memories, maybe you shouldn't think of it as what you could have had," Phoebe said. "Maybe you should think of it as what you did have."

Prue smiled and Phoebe and Piper put their arms around her. The three of them just sat there in their embrace, thinking about Andy.

EPILOGUE

"Thanks, Leo, for talking to her," he said when Leo came back. "I know you weren't supposed to go."

"Yeah, well, it's not the biggest rule I've ever broken," Leo replied. "And I know that I would want someone to do the same for Piper."

"I wish I could see her again," he commented.

"You know you can't. She has to move on, Andy. Seeing you again, knowing that you're a whitelighter, would just get her hopes up," Leo said. "It would just torture her."

"I know," Andy replied. "I don't want to do that to her. I love her too much."

THE END


End file.
